The event is due to start with the hosts and number one seeds Italy facing off against Britain, who will be looking to qualify for the Paralympics for the first time since Turin 2006.

Craig Spence, the IPC director of media and communications, claimed that coverage of the tournament will help raise its profile.

"With just three Sochi 2014 qualification spots up for grabs in Turin, the IPC Ice Sledge Hockey Qualification Tournament will be a fantastic event to showcase one of the most aggressive winter sports," he said.

"Competition will be fast and intense, and by live streaming it we will give the worldwide public a taste of the quality action they can expect in Sochi next March."

Host nation Italy come into the tournament as favourites and will be aiming to qualify for their third straight Paralympic Games.

South Korea are seeded second for the tournament and will be hoping to make up for their teams disappointing seventh place finish at the IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships A-Pool on their home ice in Goyang last April.

South Korea will be hoping to bounce back from their seventh place finish in the the IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships A-Pool last April

Sweden will be setting their sights on continuing their 100 per cent record when it comes to qualifying for the Games, with Japan looking for a repeat of their performance in Vancouver back in 2010 which saw them take home a silver medal.

Germany, like Britain, have not participated in the Paralympics since Turin and will be looking to put an end to that streak in Italy next week.

The three teams to qualify from this tournament will be joining the United States, Russia, Czech Republic and Norway in Sochi, after they finished within the top five of the World Championships A-Pool in Goyang last April.

All games from the IPC Ice Sledge Hockey Qualification Tournament can be watched live from around the world by clicking here.

During the week leading up to the event, IPC Ice Sledge Hockey are also publishing a preview of one team per day, which can be found by clicking here.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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